(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lobster traps, fish or animal traps or cages and more particularly, to a method of constructing and indicating ownership of such traps or cages.
(2) Prior Art
Lobster traps have undergone many changes in construction over the past several generations. Early traps were made of a wood frame, put together in a box-like configuration, having a rope or twine netting stretched over the frame. One side of the wooden box construction would have hinges to permit the lobsters to be removed therefrom. The ends of the trap would have netting arranged thereacross in a funnel-like manner, to allow the lobsters to get into the traps drawn by the bait therein, but not be able to get out.
More recently, lobster and fish traps have been made of more durable construction, such as heavy gauge wire, arranged in a mesh pattern, and formed into a box-like shape, with the appropriate funnel entrances for capturing the lobsters, and hinged doors for removing the lobsters.
Bruce U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,953, shows such a lobster trap. When lobstermen place their traps in the deep water to catch the lobsters, they have their name painted onto the wooden frame, or engraved into the wood. On the newer wire mesh traps, the lobstermen would mark their traps with an orange plastic tag which would have a name or registration number. Of course, the traps would be located at the surface, by colorfly marked lobster bouys, the colors identifying the owner.
Unfortunately, this does not deter thievery out on the lonely waters, where the lobster traps are pulled from the water, and may be stolen or mistakenly taken by someone other then the rightful owner.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a means for simultaneous construction and identification of a lobster or animal trap.
It is a further object of this invention, to provide a means of identification, which if its attempted to be removed by a non-owner, would result in having to rebuild the entire trap and rejoin the side walls of the box-like structure completely, after having had to remove all the idenfifying indicia.